Leg and foot developer



Nov. 17, 11925. v 1,562,294

. J. J. COOPER I LEG- AND FOOT IDEVELOPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 23, 1925 4' INVENTOR W JO'ooper ATTORNEYS NOV.

- ,1. J. COOPER LEG AND FOOT DEVELOPER Filed April 2:5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1 ATTORNEYS J57; Jaweg BY I Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

umrao STATES JOHN J. COOPER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LEG AND FOOT DEVELOPER.

Application filed April 23, 1925. Serial No. 25,372.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. COOPER, acitizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and Im proved Leg and Foot Developer, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to a surgical applia ance that will be effective in restoring lost functions to certain important muscles of the hips,legs and feet. 1 The present invention is more particularly intended as an improvement on the leg and foot developer forming the subject matter of United States Patent Number 1,5t8,711.

In common with my aforenamed filed application the present invention has for its prime object to provide an appliance embodying elements constituting in effect artificial ligaments which will so function as to subject the muscles and tendons of the hips,-

legs and feet to 'a resistance in walking to bring about a control of defective muscles and restore them to normal functions as well as to produce blood circulation in the affected regions. A 7

An important object also of the invention of my application aforenamed and my pres- 'ent application is to provide an appliance that will make heel and toe walking and more or less of atoeing in in walking natural and normal and in fact be-compelling toward a practice of the corrective walking referred to. i

More specifically, the present invention has for an object to provide novel and effective means for insuring the directional (1011- trol of the llgaments 1n exerting a force on ings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention. v

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a leg and f ot e el per embod in my Present invention showing the same applied and in use; s

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a stocking forming part of my present'novel assemblage a portion of the stocking being broken away to show interior parts, the foot sling 1n the form shown in' Figure 2 being in tegral with the stocking;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing an adventitious foot sling applied to the stocking as distinguished from one needed or otherwise produced integral with the stocking;

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of the stocking in a plane indicated by the line 4.'& in Figure 3;

. Figure 5 is an elevation of the leg and foot developer formed in accordance with the present invention, portions of the suspenders forming part of the assemblage be ing broken away. i

In carrying out my invention in accordance with the illustrated example, a broad belt 10 is provided adapted to be worn about the waist and having lacing 110' as well as a front narrow strip 210 forming a permanent connection between the ends'of the belt to measurablyhold the belt in position before being adjusted. Pendent from the belt 10 are elongated elements designated generally by the numeral 11, said elements constituting ligaments as will appear. Leg bands 14 are provided adapted to encircle the leg at the calf or adjacent the knee and said leg bands have depending tabs 15, 115 Y and 215. The ligaments 11- have guided movement on rings 18 on the leg bands 14. The lower end of each ligamentis provided with a clasp 16. On tab 115 of the leg band 1 1 is a clasp 116. The clasp 16 and 116 are adapted to engage a stocking 33. Instead of directly engaging the stocking the clasp 16 engages a mating clasp 216 on a strip 30 fast on said stocking 33 and extending vertically along the inner side of the stocking. The clasp 116 on tab 115 engages a vertical strip 32 on the stocking material. Figures 1 and 4. The strips 30 and 32 are united in any suitable manner, as by sewing, to the upper end of a foot sling 31 on each stocking 33 at the interior. The foot sling 31 is shown in Figure 2 as knitted or otherwise made an integral part of the stocking. In

Figurp :5 the strip 130 is shown united. to 2" I the backs of the leg bands 1 1 and that, the ligaments 11 extend through the rings 18 to theinner sides of the legs where engagement is effected between the clasps 16 on the ligaments and the clasps 216 on the stocking strips. The positioning of the guide ring 18 or equivalent guide means at the back of the leg and the fastening of the ligaments to the stocking strips atthe inner sidesof the legs, re-

sult in an effective resistance by the ligaments along an oblique line extending from the hip laterally inwardly to the back of the legs and thence downwardly and forwardly to the inner sides of the legs as fully explained in my aforenamed application. The pull oftheligaments on the strips 30 on one side of the stocking is resisted'by the strips 32 at the opposite side which strips 32 are connected with the leg band 14E by the clasps 116. With the described arrangen'ient the heel is automatically lifted in walking and inv order to Overcome the resistance of the ligaments the useris compelled or at least finds it more natural to first bring the heel firmly down and thenthe toe or ball of the foot to bring about true heeland' toe. walking. Moreover, as in the caseofthe PIBVIOLISlHVBHtlOH,the ClGSCIlbGCl arrangement tends to cause the user of the device to toe inslightly in walking,the heel and toe walking and 'toeing in contributing very materially to a pronounced.activity of {the muscles and tendons of the feet well as the correction of defective bones in the feet particularly the arches; also, the action of the appliance on the foot tends to bring about ample blood circulation at the arches, allof which develops in the footresistance to the falling of the arches and resists tendency toward flat feet a'nd'where arches are fallen and the feet are fiat the appliance in compelling the heel and. toe walking results in a restorative action 011 the muscles and bones besides bring aboutthe necessary blood circulation. The provision of the foot sling 31 or 131 incorporated in the stocking together with the strips 30 (or 130) and 32 promotes the effectiveness of the appliance in relieving the legs and feet of undue stresses and. strains inthe corrective treatment.

Coasting with the belt, 10 are suspenders designatedfgenerally by the numeral 35; In

order to coordinate the belt 10 with the suspenders 35, said belt is provided at the front thereof with short straps or billets 25 that extend above the belt and provided with fastening elements 26 at the back of the belt. Similarly a strap 125 has the fastening element 126. The fastening elements 26 are adapted to engage fasteners 27 on tabs 28 between thesuspender ends and in a similar manner the fastener element 126 at the back of the belt is adapted to engage with. a fastener element 127 at the back of the suspenders 35, saidelement 127. being on a depending tab-128 disposed between the rear Suspender ends. At the front the suspenders at each front strap or shoulder strap is provided with adjusting buckle lO of any approved form for adjusting the totallength of the suspenders. By connecting the belt with the suspenders at, the back and front through the medium of. billets 25, 125 and the tabs 28, 128, withtheir coengagi-ng fastening'elements, Lbring about the important result that the strains onthe ligaments 11 may be relieved, because upon slackening the shoulder straps ofthe suspenders 35 through the medium ofbuckles 40, the up ward pull on the belt 10 and thus on the ligaments 11 is relaxed. Hence, if the user of the appliance finds the circulation partic'ularly in the feet at the arches has been developed sufliciently, or if thecorrect walking that he .is compelled to practice should tire the user, the appliance may be practically thrown out of action by relaxing the tension on the suspenders35, I

An important improvement results from connecting the ligaments 11 with the strips (30) associated with the stockings at themside of the leg and connecting the strips 32 at the-opposit side of the leg with the leg bands 1 1-. Thus, the leg band resists any displacingtendency-ortwisting of the stocking and the foot sling 31 bythe ligaments, and-minimizes or obviates any discomfortto the wearer by the foot slings.

As in the patent referred tothe ligaments 11 are formed with elastic and inelastic sections, the present arrangement including upper elastic sections 20 and lower inelastic sections 21 connected by (in adjusting buckle 23. v

I do not claim in the presentapplication the provision of the ligaments directed obliquely from thewaist beltv to .the back of the leg and thento the inner side of the leg nor the generic feature of the relation be tween the foot slings and the ligaments. The present invention is characterized by the foot sling incorporated in the stocking and the provision of'the strips (30, 32, 130), the stocking strip (32) at the outside connecting with the leg band while the stocking strip (30, 130.) connects with the l gament. The present invention is further characterized by the assemblage includingsthe coordi nation of the Waist belt with the suspenders in a manner that the tension on the liga-' ments is relieved by the loosening of the suspenders thus relieving the strains ex-' erted by the belt and Suspenders on the liga ments.

It will be readily understood that the stocking (33 or 133) serves of itself to a certain extent as a foot sling and that with the presence of the foot sling 31 or 131 reinforcing the stocking, the function as a foot' sling is better served. At all events the connection of the stockings with the leg bands 14 at one side of the stockings and the connection of the stockings at the opposite side with the ligaments insure the desired action in relieving the feet of undue stresses and at the same time the stockings are held against displacement and exert no discomfort or undue strains on the feet.

I would state, furthermore, that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An appliance of the class described to bring about heel and toe walking, said appliance comprising elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, means to hold the ligaments at the upper ends, leg bands adapted to be applied to the legs ofthe wearer, stockings, foot slings incorporated in said stockings, means to connect the foot slings with the ligaments at the inner sides of the legs, and means to connect the foot' slings with said leg bands at the outer sides of the legs.

2. In an appliance for use in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment, elongated elements constituting ligaments, foot slings, means to connect said elements with the foot slings, waist belt to which the upper ends of the ligaments are secured, suspenders adjustable to vary their length, and means connecting said suspenders with said waist belt so that the lengthening of the suspenders will relax tension on the ligaments.

3. In an appliance for use in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment, elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, means to hold the ligaments at their lower ends to the inside of the legs near the feet, a waist belt to which the upper ends of the ligaments are connected, suspenders connected with said belt to sustain the same and slibjee the ligaments to tension,

and means to adjust the suspenders to increase ordecrease the pull on the belt for varying the tension on the ligaments.

4. In an appliance for 'use' in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment, a

waist belt, billets extending upwardly. from said belt, suspenders, and coacting fastener means on said billets and on said suspenders at the back and front of the latter; together with ligaments suspended from said belt and adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, and means to hold said ligaments at their lower ends to the legs of the wearer.

5. In an appliance for use in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment,

elongated elements constituting ligamentsv said elongated elements, and legbands adapted to connect with the stockings at the opposite sides, said ligaments being free to have up and down movement independently of and relatively to the leg bands.

7. In an appliance for use in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment,

elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, stockings connected at one side with said elongated elements, and leg attachments adapted to connect with the stockings at the opposite sides, said stockings having means reinforcing the same at the arch and sides.

8. In an appliance for use in subjecting the feet and legs to corrective treatment, elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, foot slings connected at one side with said elongated elements, leg bands, and a depending member'on each leg band and adapted to connect with the respective foot slings at the opposite side from the connection of the foot slings with the elongated elements.

9. In an appliance for use in the feet and legs to corrective treatment, elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, stockings, means to connect the.

stockings at one side with said elongated elements, leg bands, and means to connect the subjecting leg bands with said stockings at the opposite sides from the means to connect said elements with said stockings, Y t

10. In an appliance for use in subjecting the-feet and legs to corrective treatment,

elongated elements constituting ligaments adapted to be disposed along the legs of the wearer, stockings, means to connectthe stockings at one side With said elongated elements, leg bands, means to connect the leg bands With said stockings at the opposite sides from the means to connect said elements With said ligaments; together with additional means on said leg bands to connect With the stockings independently of the connection of the stockings With said elements and said leg bands.

JOHN J. COOPER. 

